Key result
~76% of cigarette users seek relaxation, while e-cigarette and waterpipe users prioritize experimentation and socializing.
Why the study?
Understanding the reasons for tobacco use can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing tobacco consumption among young adults.
Cross-Sectional (n=589)
Yes
Motivations for using various tobacco products among university students differ significantly by product type, country, and sex, which can inform targeted public health interventions for smoking cessation.
Differing motivations by product among students are hypothesis-generating; prospective trials needed before tailoring cessation interventions.
INTRODUCTION: Tobacco use remains a significant public health issue worldwide, causing over 7 million deaths annually. Polytobacco use has become a common phenomenon. This study aims to analyze reasons for cigarette and tobacco product use, dual use and poly use among university students by sex, in China and Cyprus, selected owing to their still high consumption rates. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among 589 university students (55% women) with a mean age of 24.2 years from Guangzhou, China, and the Republic of Cyprus. Participants reported their use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and waterpipes, as well as their reasons for using these products. Statistical analyses included chi-squared tests, and effect sizes were computed using the phi (φ) coefficient. RESULTS: The Chinese participants gave as reasons for using cigarettes: 'because of the taste', 'because it looks cool', 'to get high' and 'because friends and family use them'. These were less frequently given by the Cypriots who opted more for 'to relax and relieve tension'. Compared to the Cypriot participants, the more frequent reasons given for consuming e-cigarettes and waterpipes among Chinese students were: 'due to boredom', 'because it looks cool', 'to get high', 'because I am hooked', 'because friends or family members use them', 'because they are less harmful than regular cigarettes' and 'because friends of family members allow their use more'. Dual or poly users felt more addicted than those who practiced single use. Among e-cigarette users, dual users and poly users valued the taste of the product more than single users. In general, men found more reasons for tobacco use than women did. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows substantial differences in the motivation for using these products according to the product type, number of tobacco/nicotine products used, country, and sex. Understanding the reasons for tobacco use can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing tobacco consumption among young adults.
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Sullman et al. (2024) conducted a cross-sectional in Tobacco use among university students (n=589). Survey on tobacco and e-cigarette use was evaluated on Reasons for tobacco use by type among university students. Cigarette users primarily cited 'to relax and relieve tension' (75.7%) as a reason, while e-cigarette users reported 'to experiment' (75%) and waterpipe users cited 'to have a good time with friends' (78.8%).
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